In Heroes of Newerth, two teams of up to five players each take on the role of special Hero units. With the assistance of AI-controlled armies, each team sets out with the sole objective of destroying the other team’s base. As a match progresses, players can earn experience and gold which can be used to upgrade skills or purchase items to make their character more powerful. The team-oriented design of HoN coupled with unprecedented in-game Voice-Over-IP controls and Clan Support allow for an incredibly deep, tactical team-based experience.

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The Tarot Card Challenge is a way in which you can add permanent upgrades to Tarot's base model and both of her avatars, Icosa and Tyche. We have placed 3 different Tarot Cards (The Chalice, The Rune, and The Scale) throughout Newerth and as you collect them you will see new effects added to your hero and her avatars!

All rejoice! Klanx is here, the most diabolical villain to ever grace the world of Newerth! No other minds can comprehend his genius, and even heroic eyes can barely gaze upon his rugged visage without collapsing in admiration. Forget Tork the Engineer and his inferior intellect and supposed ingenuity - Klanx is about to swagger onto the battlefield equipped with his latest and greatest weaponry, as well as a full supply of faithful lackeys and goons. Victories are his for the taking, and they should feel lucky to belong to such a stunning force of brilliant destruction.

Prisoner 945 led the ground forces of the Titan Rebellion and was imprisoned by Jeraziah in the dungeons of The Capital. He is released in this desperate hour to battle the Hellbourne, but only his actions on the battlefield will finally free him from his chains.

HoN 3.0 launched on Jan. 31, 2013, bringing with it an improved new player experience, bots, high-definition graphics and more. S2 Games, together with regional partners Garena and Axeso5, held parties at LAN centers across the globe to celebrate.

What a lot of players don't know about HoN is that the game can be decided quite easily right at the picking screen. In this video developers will discuss what you should consider before you grab a hero out of the pool.

HoN 3.0 introduces three levels of Bot difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. The new Walkthrough will also include Bots so that beginners can test and develop their skills before venturing into more competitive play. Uniquely, the HoN Bots' AI code has been open sourced, allowing players to mod them to battle against other user-created Bots.

In this video Tonytwotoes and LoreMeister examine the reasons for the changes in the models and textures of the new high definition versions of heroes introduced in the 3.0 update for HoN as well as the new focus of characters and their back stories in the universe of Newerth.

The game's walkthrough has been completely revamped with an in-depth guide to better prepare first time players for the world of Newerth. Also patching with 3.0 is the new Learning Center. This feature will provide players with a series of videos that reinforce and explain in great detail some of the game's basic and more complex concepts and techniques.

New player experience is a key focus with HoN 3.0. RAP 3.0, an all new Report-A-Player system, gives the community the power to clean up and police itself while impacting the behavior of negative players.
With the new Refer-A-Friend program it's now easier to introduce your friends to the game or invite friends to return to Newerth. The system has both in-game and web-based options. Players can recruit friends for in-game currency, in-game items, and other tangible prizes such as a trip to the HoN Tour Grand Finals in Las Vegas using both systems.
Original Music Composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory
Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/

The first look at the design elements for the new towers and building introduced in HoN 3.0. Whether a new or veteran player these new elements enhance the in game experience and dive into the themes of Newerth.

Dr. Repulsor stood back and looked over the creation in his laboratory. The golem made from magnetized stone and steel was complete and ready to be brought to life. He watched as Hellbringer completed the ritual to summon forth the demon that would power the construct and bring it to life. The Eldritch runes etched into its frame would hold the creature eternally in place. While it may lack the intelligence of Chronos, the new soldier would be the first of many demon powered war machines.

The last of a race of warrior-monks sworn to a chaste existence in the misty Sang-La mountains, Pandamonium has left his bamboo groves for the battlefield. He moves with a grace that belies his great stature and strikes with fury surprising in one with such an apparently gentle nature. And though he is a creature of few words, the Beasts put great stock in his wisdom.
Pandamonium is a melee strength hero that focuses on dealing heavy physical damage. He is able to control his enemies by utilizing his stuns, slows, and a flurry of attacks.

Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
HoN Lead Creative Designer Brent "Buro" Wiedmer and Content Manager Michael "TonyTwoToes" Guzmán are here to give you an inside look at the development process of Grinex The Riftstalker. Grinex is a Melee Agility ganker who specializes in creating chaos on the battlefield. Through stealth and deception, Grinex spreads terror amongst the Legion forces. For more information on Grinex, check out the Hero Spotlight; Grinex arrives to Newerth on November 21.

For many years, stories have been told in Newerth of a place where unimaginable creatures live in perpetual darkness known as the Great Rift. Many on Newerth have attempted to commune with this place of power and Valreia the Riftwalker is one of the few who is known to have succeeded. Since the Hellbourne enlisted her help in the war against the Legion, rifts have been opening in various parts of Newerth and a great creature has made its way through.
Even in the darkness of the Great Rift, there's terror and this creature known only as Grinex is the embodiment of fear. Trapped in a strange new world, this evil power seeks the Riftwalker, as she represents his only chance to escape from this wretched land. Using the Great Rift's power should not be taken lightly and this mere human has grown arrogant. Her time grows short as Grinex approaches from the shadows!
Grinex is a Melee Agility ganker who specializes in creating chaos on the battlefield. Through stealth and deception, Grinex spreads terror amongst the Legion forces
Otherworldly introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

The Frostfields are a harsh and unforgiving land. Among the men and beasts who reside in the harsh, white north there are those who have learned to thrive without magic in the frozen wastes. Within the nomadic people, an elite warrior has learned to master the beasts like the great frost beast of the ice caverns and have adopted his name as their own -- he is now the Tribal Tundra and the Hellbourne who dare to step on the lands claimed by his people will know no mercy.

Register to compete in HoN Tour at http://hontour.com
Join the HoN Tour admins for an in depth look at the registration process for HoN Tour competitors. HoN Tour is a multi-event tournament series with a season one cash prize pool of over $330,000. Running from October 2012 to April 2013, HoN Tour begins with a Qualifier to seed players into one of four divisions. The HoN Tour tournament platform is completely automated to make your HoN Tour experience as streamlined as possible.
Play Heroes of Newerth for free: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/

For eons the Bubble Magi were the greatest defense the Legion had against the Beasts and Demons. Their protective magic circled the Legion cities in domes that kept the enemy's assaults at bay. When Maliken's betrayal came to pass, his agents simultaneously assassinated every Bubble Mage known to the Legion and burned their monastery to the ground. All had succumbed, save for one lone apprentice who was mistaken for a mere servant and one pet turtle who had watched his master from afar. Searching amongst the ruins of her home, she discovered her master's staff clutched in his charred hands. As she took up his weapon, she finally allowed her tears to flow and her determination became clear. She has spent years honing her craft and now Pearl, the last known Bubble Mage has taken to the battlefields to wreck vengeance on Maliken and his demon horde.
Pearl is a ranged intelligence support hero who is adept in utilizing defensive magic. Her mastery over the flowing waters of Newerth allow her to both nurture wounded allies and suffocate her enemies.
Spectacular introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

Join Ryan "LoreMeister" McDaniel, Lead Content Designer for Heroes of Newerth, uncover the secrets behind Ultimate Avatars. These Special Edition Alt Avatars allow you to customize your favorite heroes according to your playstyle. With our first Ultimate Avatar, Zenifir, the Dark Elf Swiftblade, you'll be brandishing some of the most popular in-game items directly on your hero. As you purchase your in-game items, your hero will shout out new sounds and include brand new effects and animations throughout the game. From the all new visual effects of an equipped Frostburn, to the mythril mail attached to your little red bootie upgrade, Ultimate Avatars bring hero customization to a whole new level.

Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
Join S2 Games staff members Brent "Buro" Wiedmer, Matt "DOGKaiser" Knizacky, and Ryan "LoreMeister" McDaniel give you an inside look at the newest item to grace Newerth: Lightbrand. This ancient Blade of Light, forged by the light of the full moon and harnessing the power of Lunari, is the companion blade to both Icebrand and Firebrand. Once lost with the coming of the Hellbourne, the ancient sword's location was revealed in the book of a mere neophyte and brought back by the Archmage of the City of Iron. Lightbrand offers an all new intelligence-based attack modifier to Heroes of Newerth.
Join the Lightbrand discussion on the HoN Forums by visiting http://bit.ly/lightbrand.

Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
During the war against the Beasts, many humans became experts in summoning daemons to fight alongside the Legion. Some became addicted to this unholy act, and even when the Hellbourne turned against their masters, continued to invoke the dark rituals. One such warlock is known only as Hellbringer, now a captain in the Hellbourne army and perhaps the most despised man on Newerth.
Hellbringer is a ranged, intelligence hero who focuses on dealing a large amount of damage in a wide area. His manipulation of dark arts allows him to regenerate health when enemies take damage. Hellbringer's guardian, Malphas, may be summoned forth into the realm of Newerth, ready to protect his master in times of strife.
Malevolent introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

Join S2 Games staff members Pu Liu, Sam Braithwaite, and Marc DeForest announce the launch of HoN Tour, a revolutionary tournament series where anyone can be a hero. Designed to give competitive players consistent and frequent events, HoN Tour will automatically place players into appropriate skill divisions.
Season One of HoN Tour will be a multi-event online tournament series with a cash prize pool of approximately $330,000. Running from October 2012 to April 2013, HoN Tour begins with a Qualifier to seed players into one of four divisions. For more information including complete rules, regulations, country eligibility, schedule and to register for the HoN Tour Qualifiers beginning October 20th, visit www.hontour.com.
Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/

HoN Balance Designer, Wza gives us some insight on the creation process of newest hero, Solstice. Be it through strength by day or stealth by night, Solstice uses her melee abilities to scout out her enemies before initiating a wild charge and jumping into the fray.

Among the tribes of the moon, there lives an elite caste of warriors. Like Krixi, the Moon Queen, these women draw their power from the rays of Lunari. As children of the Moon Goddess, the rays of Sol burn their flesh, forcing them to construct a vessel to channel Lunari's might during the day. The magicks used were so potent that only a chosen warrior, born in perfect balance between light and darkness, could harness its vast power by being forever bonded to her armor. In the night, the chosen can retake her true form and strike from the shadows, free from her confining shell. Be it through strength by day or stealth by night, Solstice, the Lady of Lunari, stands ready to show her enemies what power truly is.
Solstice is a melee, strength hero who excels in close-combat. She is able to scout out her enemies before initiating a wild charge, jumping into the fray. When gloam looms over the canopy of Caldavar, Solstice sheds her heavy armor so that she may slip into the shadows.
Spectacular introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

The Wretched Hag haunted Newerth's darkness long before the Hellbourne spilled forth. A fiendish hag fatted off the flesh of children and virgin brides, she keeps as her only company a swarm of bats -- the only creatures that can abide her shrieking cries.
Wretched Hag is an intellect hero who focuses on ganking and soft-carrying by doing massive amounts of magic damage to many enemies at once. Hag is already lurking the gloam forest of Caldavar, so there is no need to wait for her to be released!
This Friday, the Wretched Hag alt avatar "Hocus Pocus" will make her debut! This limited time avatar will only be available for a short while! She has all new spell and sound effects, so be sure to check her out!
Property of S2 Games
Prestidigitatious introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

Join Jonathan "Pandaroohoo" Ly, Creative Designer for HoN as he gives an inside look at the development process behind the new hero: Oogie. This Melee Intelligence Carry builds damage through the scaling of mana. Between his two abilities Conflagrate and Primal Surge, Oogie excels at dealing significant area of effect damage while sustaining high survivability as his manapool increases. Be sure to check out the HoN Hero Spotlight for Oogie and prepare for Oogie's debut in Newerth on August 31st.

Hidden in the forests of Newerth are the secrets to great power. When one communes directly withthe trees and plants of the world it is possible to tap into the roots of the Worldtree itself, and in those ancient veins of life are the great memories of primordial power that promise its wielders control over the elements themselves. This power is never without a price...or a transformation...

Legionnaires, the namesakes of the Legion itself, bring unflinching power to the battlefield. With their massive battle-axes, these warriors spread carnage among their foes and cleave bloody swaths through enemy ranks. Even those daemons born of fear itself can be terrified by these heroes of the Legion.
This month's Classic Hero Spotlight focuses on Legionnaire, a sturdy hero who causes disarray in the hearts of his enemies. Legionnaire's main role is to absorb damage and draw fire through various abilities that help him focus on his defensive prowess. With all of his abilities together, Legionnaire is able to force enemy heroes to attack him, so items that increase his defensive abilities are core.
Legionnaire will have a special, limited time skin arriving this Friday.

In the armies of men and beast most soldiers are brave and true. They are loyal and follow the orders of the men who command them. But among the armies there must be leaders of men, generals to whom all others wills bend and heads bow. These are the men and women who take command of the forces that defend Newerth from the Hellbourne hoard. They give new meaning to the word hero and all men come to their call -- RALLY!

Heroes of Newerth is about to become truly Free-to-Own, with all heroes released becoming free for all players. A major step forward in the development of HoN and after months of careful consideration and direct input from the HoN community, the time has come to make the HoN gameplay experience open to all users.

The Serpent of the Seventh Pit, feeder on the sick and the weak, was summoned forth in the last days of the war between Man and Beast. A cunning conniver and whisperer of false promises, Slither delights in suffering and despair.
Introducing the Classic Hero Spotlight, where developers will take a closer look at the existing heroes of Newerth! This month's hero is Slither, who is already available in-game to play. Slither is a unique hero in that he can fit a pushing, ganking, or semi carry role. He is a ranged, agility hero adept in toxins and poisons. With a myriad of damage over time spells and multiple slows, Slither can spread his virulent diseases across the battlefield, greatly harming many enemies simultaneously.

In the world of men and beast there are many paths to power. Some men take up arms and fight with steel and powder, others turn to the lost technology of the golden ages, worship the gods of old or learn from ancient tomes of power. There are those who take a different path, one of pacts and binding. These are not the infernal pacts of the Deamons, but instead they are made with the forces that oppose the chaos the Hellbourne bring. The creatures of the world and the forces of life, death, and nature themselves all wish to have their say in the fate of Newerth. To ensure the Hellbourne are driven back into the pits from which they spawned, each will empower an avatar to fight on their behalf -- a Prophet to ensure that fate favors the bold.

When the war spread from the northlands into the jungles of Newerth, both man and Deamon discovered why the natives call the land "Death's Cradle." Creatures warped from the chaos of the past abide in these forbidden lands, where beasts are prey and plants are predator. Deep in these jungles, the Keeper found the eldest of the mantraps and fed it the blood of the corrupted - Deamons and the fallen. Filled with their dark power, Bramble now stalks her chosen meals across the battlefields, helping destroy the enemies of the Keeper...

Congratulations to all the Newerth HoN-iversary Art Contest Winners! A complete list of the finalists can be found at http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/artcontest
The Newerth HoN-iversary Art Contest was a three week call to action for the HoN community to embrace their artistic personalities to win limited edition prizing and bags of swag. We want to thank everyone for participating as we celebrate Heroes of Newerth's 2nd Annual HoN-iversary. Full contest details can be found at http://bit.ly/newerthartcontest.

The direct result of years of feedback and input from the HoN community, Mid Wars takes the most exciting pieces of the HoN experience and distills them into pure unadulterated fun. Featuring its own standardized rule-set, exclusive Matchmaking system, and an all new map, Mid Wars brings you everything that you know and love about HoN and improves the formula with a casual, arcade style experience second to none.

Manipulator of the forbidden arts, she reaches into the realms of the ancient evils. She seeks to discover more secrets that the Legion has forgotten, lest the Elder Gods awaken. Tapping into the darkness, she draws forth unholy power to aid the hordes of her leige. Do not let her pleasant demeanor fool you. The Riftwalker fears nothing and will serve only those who will aid her mad quest for power.

Play Heroes of Newerth for FREE: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
Those who hail from the great Frostfields of the north live by one rule: fight or die. But now, the Hellbourne forces are rapidly advancing towards their beloved homelands and demolishing everything in their path. The powerful ruler of those harsh lands knew her lands would be next and could not sit idly by while her kingdom fell. Thus, the only sorceress deserving of the name Frost Queen fights not to defend the Legion but to bring forth the full might of winter and banish the daemons back to the pit from which they crawled.
Ellonia is a ranged, intellect hero focused on skillshots and combos. Since her spell costs are not cheap, items that greatly increase mana regeneration and her mana pool are the most beneficial. Early game items like a Bottle, Power Supply, and a Grave Locket keep her mana pool from running dry. Ellonia would benefit from Ghost Marchers thanks to the increased movespeed for chasing and fleeing, and with a Grave Locket, she shouldn't be low on max health. If steamboots are purchased instead, Grave Locket may be skipped, though more stats are always better. All of her abilities have a slowing mechanic on them, so until her mana pool is big enough to chain cast, anything that increases mana regeneration and max health should be sought after.
Mid-game items like Tablet of Command grant her mobility, an escape, and bonus intellect she can use. Hellflower and Spellshards are also great items for her mana pool, providing that extra boost of offensive power a team may need, or the clutch silence. Kuldra's Sheepstick should be core on her late game with how much mana it generates. Frostfield Plate may be a wise pickup if there is a lot of physical damage in the opposing team, however, she has a wide array of slows already, so it may not be great to pick it up every game.
Property of S2 Games
Graceful introduction music composed by Thomas-Adam Habuda
http://www.facebook.com/tomhabudamediamusicfactory

The engineer looked at his masterpiece. The turrets were mounted, the rockets loaded, the cannons oiled and tested on the range. It was time to test his mechanical beast against the demonic hoards of the Hellbourne. They would know no quarter when he found them within range and death reigned down from above. The explosions deafened both man and beast, and Artillery stood alone among the craters and carnage.
Artillery is a ranged, agility hero that excels in long-range combat. With Bunker down, his attack range exceeds a tower's reach. Long Range Missiles (LRM) scale with base damage, and do not propagate orb effects or attack modifiers, so items that increase base attack damage provide the most bang for Artillery.
Ghost Marchers are the boots of choice for this construction, providing needed maneuverability as well as bonus damage. Since Bunker Down's mana cost is so little, and LRM is somewhat cheap, a Blood Chalice or Power Supply can provide all the mana necessary, letting Artillery focus on his offensive front. Fragmentation shells do not count as an orb effect, yet provide a potent slow, so Frostwolf Skull is not suggested, though Geometer's Bane is a great pickup for both damage and survivability. Savage Mace, Wingbow, and a Nullstone all work great with Artillery's play style. Charged Hammer greatly increases Artillery's damage output, but since LRM doesn't proc the lightning, it may not be as efficient as other weapons when doing damage.

Among the Beast Tribes of Newerth a Great Race is held in the savannahs each year. The winner joins their Queen in the battle against the Hellbourne. Many types of warriors compete, some rely on strength, some stealth, and others use speed and cunning. The Grand Champion is the vulpinoid master of velocity - Blitz! Now the Hellbourne daemons must hide to survive, for they certainly cannot run!
Blitz is a speedy hero who excels at manipulating the movement speeds of those on the battlefield. Items such as Ghost Marchers that give Blitz a burst of movement speed are ideal. Fireband and Geometer's Bane help this fox stay on his toes. Assassin's Shroud grants the bonus movement speed and the utility that may be needed, but Shrunken Head is a more valuable defensive item. Grave Locket and Chalice aren't too important on Blitz, a Power Supply and Bottle should keep his mana and health regen up long enough to do his job. Frostwolf Skull can help slow enemies, but with all of his movement speed and slows, it may not be too useful until late game.
Blitz can be played as both a ganker and a support hero. He isn't adept at carrying due to lack of scaling attack damage, but he can snowball into a force to be reckoned with early game with great teamwork and use of his abilities. Getting at least one point in Quicken may be helpful to save allies if he is played in a more passive role.

He stood alone in the town, slaughter all around him.
All he had known, all he had loved-- killed by the wild beasts. He could hear his own screams echoing in his ears as he dropped to his knees and drew his blade. Driven by madness, he began to carve a cursed symbol into his own flesh. Pain was forgotten and only revenge filled his mind. Soon, the symbol was complete and, bathed in his own rage-filled blood, a bargain was struck. The warrior's wish would be granted. He would be given the power that he so desired and the opportunity to exact his revenge.
The now-cursed warrior was given two hell-forged firearms and was reborn as Gunblade, Hell's Ranger. Once a Lawman, now the Sheriff of the Damned.
Gunblade excels in both long range and melee combat, though his abilities favor him to be closer to enemies. Ghost Marchers and Steamboots both provide bonuses here, with Ghost Marchers allowing Gunblade to chase and flee even faster with Demonic Shield, and also run through the target to keep Lethal Range damage at a maximum. Steamboots providing attack speed and stats can also help, allowing Gunblade to get in more attacks before Grappling Shot's armor reduction ends.
Assassin's Shroud is a great pickup, allowing Gunblade to get close to targets, and save Grappling Shot for when they try to flee. Since Lethal Range propegates to illusions, Geometer's Bane provides a great damage boost, and also helps keep him defended by purging debuffs on use. Frostwolf Skull is also an ideal pickup, making Frostburn another great item. Shieldbreaker would help increase Gunblade's damage, but since Grappling Shot already grants a lot of Armor Penetration, picking up the slow may be more beneficial.
Genjuro as a late-game item with Savage Mace help Gunblade become an unstoppable foe. All items that grant agility, such as Wingbow, are also amazing since they scale with Demonic Shield, providing a massive defensive boost.

The Prophet teaches that energy flows through all things, we must only harness it for ourselves. The mages invoke incantations, the priests call upon gods wicked and just, but for the truly powerful, the power is harnessed from within. These are the Disciples of the Way and among them there is one known for his mastery over all -- Kinesis. Let the Hellbourne beware the power of his mind.
Kinesis relies heavily on the manipulation of the nearby units so that he may lift and launch smaller objects as projectiles. Being a ranged, intellect hero, his mind is a powerful asset, and also allows him to absorb much of the incoming damage by being offensive. Early game items such as Power Supply, Grave Locket, and a Bottle are great for keeping him powered up and buff with stats. Steamboots fit well, providing additional health, or a clutch swap to int for the bonus mana to launch one last assault. Nullstone is an extremely effective item, further boosting his defensive prowess and providing much-needed mana regeneration. As he fights with his mind, and not fists, most attack modifiers will pale in comparison to helpful gear like Frostfield Plate, or Kuldra's Sheepstick. Inherent defense works by providing a shield for all damage attempted, and not actually done, so Spellshards won't further increase his tanking capacity, nor reduce the cooldown on his Telekinetic Lift charges, but it still may prove a valuable tool for offensive damage. Stormspirit fits in nicely, adding another disable, high mana regeneration, and allowing Kinesis to set up properly. In the end, Kinesis may wish to build for stats, defense, and mana regeneration over attack damage. When fully geared up, Kinesis can become hard to kill while also being very powerful in attacking.

The future of Newerth hangs in the balance as Flux and his team of iconic heroes attempt to bring an end to the Apocalypse. Only two horsemen remain as Horseman Death rears his ugly head in this exciting conclusion to the Apocalypse. Does Flux have what it takes to stop the Horsemen once and for all?

After the fall of the mighty Berzerker, Flux must press on to face his fiercest enemy yet. As danger lurks at every corner and the threat of being deserted looms ever closer, Engineer jumps in for a little technical support. Horseman Famine will lay waste to all living things in Newerth, but can Engineer and Flux pick up the pieces and reverse the curse?
Music:
"Dynamic Funk" by F-777
http://jessevalentinemusic.bandcamp.com/album/free-mega-album-30-tracks-f-777

Flux is only just getting started. After defeating War he continues to challenge the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He encounters some trouble before his battle with Pestilence, but an unlikely ally emerges to lend a hand.

The Hellbourne, led by War, the First Horseman of the Apocalypse, have rained from the sky and laid waste to the Forests of Caldavar. There is only one hero left to defend Newerth and save all that is good. Can Flux stop the Newerth Apocalypse?

The fiery dragon, Draconis, has awoken. As searing flames lick the charred scales accenting his face, a roar is let loose - the World Tree must be defended! Even Pyromancer would be scared of all the fire brought forth. As a ranged agility hero, Draconis can lay waste to his enemies with attacks, and should focus on doing damage and increasing his attack speed.
Draconis would benefit the most from Steamboots, as the attack speed and defensive capabilities are the most fitting. Ghost Marchers can be nice for the damage, but Blazing Flight already grants a great movespeed boost along with unit walking, so they're redundant. Frostburn has proven to be a great item for the bonus damage, health, and snare needed to keep the barrage of Cataclysmic Assault going longer. Since most of Draconis' spells are low mana cost, a chalice provides all the mana needed, if you opt to go for a heavy Q build for ganking. Since Cataclysmic Assult propegates attack modifiers, items such as Savage Mace and Frostwolf Skull synergize nicely for huge damage and a giant slow. Charged Hammer will only proc on the main attack, however, with the increased attack speed boost and AoE damage, it's still a viable alternative to Savage Mace. Wingbow can be used as a tech item for the defensive stats it grants through evasion and armor, but Shrunken Head is the ultimate defensive item to allow full use of Cataclysmic Assault and maximum damage.

Berzerker arrives to Newerth from the frozen tundras of the north. He's a melee strength hero with a skillset aimed at slaughtering enemies and creating havok. An arsenal of heavy physical-based abilities helps him tear through the weaker opponents on the field.
Great items to start with are Chalice and Steamboots. Ghost Marchers may be picked up instead, if the mobility is needed, but since Mark For Death grants unit walking, it may not wise in every situation. Helm of the Black Legion is a great pickup for early game item boosts, as it grants heavy defensive abilities, and increases Berzerker's maximum health, which enables him to deal much more damage with Carnage. Insanitarius should be a core item as well, as it synergizes with all of his abilities perfectly. Shieldbreaker does provide a huge damage boost, as Berzerker's abilities are physical, however, his own damage and health is increased more with an Icebrand instead, which also allows him to chase down enemies much easier. End-game items should revolve around high damage output while still wielding defensive bonuses, such as Daemonic Breastplate and Behemoth's Heart.

Behold, the newest incarnation of Dampeer! The Count is not amused by the lack of concern by the overly relaxed Vacation Dampeer. While Count Dampeer requires three essences to transform, all it takes is one hero to be consumed before Dampeer unleashes destruction on the land of Newerth.

Gravekeeper is an intelligence hero with a ranged attack. His abilities all revolve around death, and slinging corpses around a fight. He deals primarily magical damage, with Corpse Toss, Corpse Explosion, and the bursting zombies from Zombie Apocalypse. Items that benefit his defenses and magical damage at once are the best. Grave Locket, Power Supply, and Steam Boots are all wise pick ups. One could opt for Ghost Marchers, which allows much better harassing and kiting with Corpse Toss/Defiling Touch, but it's a trade for less survivability. Tablet of Command and Nullstone are great defensive items, one providing escape and the other providing health and spell nullifying, and both benefitting his Mana pool. End-game items like Hellflower, Kuldra's, and Frostfield Plate all benefit Gravekeeper and help him stay alive longer. Spellshards would increase the damage on a few abilities, but since it won't affect Zombie Apocalypse and Corpse Toss uses charges/Defiling Touch is passive, the cooldown reduction is not useful. Stormspirit would increase Gravekeeper's mana regeneration and grant survivability, as well, but may be opted out for other, more powerful items

Artesia is a ranged intelligence hero with low-cooldown and low-manacost spells. She can rain down a deluge of arcane magics on enemies, damaging nearby heroes, as well as heal and support her team in times of need. With no escape mechanism, she'll need to focus on some defensive items early game, such as Steamboots or Plated Greaves. Mana Battery, Grave Locket, Ring of the Teacher, and Blood Chalice are all great items to pick up on Artesia for early game survivability and mana regeneration. Items that increase her maximum mana pool and regeneration best benefit her mid-game, allowing chain casting for long periods of time, such as Nullstone and Bloodstone. If you find yourself against a team who deal physical-oriented damage, Frostfield Plate is a great pickup. Spellshards will increase her damage output and mana regeneration, but the cooldown reduction on her spells will be almost unnoticeable. End-game items, Kuldra's Sheepstick or Hellflower, will help her survivability, mana regeration, and offensive prowess.

Shadowblade is a highly versatile hero who can alter his primary attribute at will. With three forms alligned to each attribute, Strength, Agility, and Intelligence, Shadowblade can choose his role depending on the upcoming fight. Steamboots should be the go-to footwear for Shadowblade, as they provide on-the-fly stat swapping and attack speed, beneficial to all forms. Items that increase defensive powers, such as Helm of the Black Legion and Insanitarius, are best suited for a Strength-centric build. Damage dealing items such as Frostburn, and later, Frostwolf Skull, would be ideal for Feint's Siphon. An intelligence build would greatly benefit from bonus intellect items, such as Tablet of Command or Nomes Wisdom. Nullstone is an amazing all-around item that will be highly beneficial to all formes, due to the high mana regen and stat bonuses.

DreamHack Winter 2011 is underway and with it comes one of the biggest announcements ever to grace the battlefields of Newerth.
S2 Games has partnered up with Beyond Gaming to launch HoN Tour, the first ever online tournament designed with the entire Heroes of Newerth community in mind. Hon Tour utilizes a state of the art tournament structure by Beyond Gaming to unite gamers from around the world and from all skill levels in an online competition of unprecedented scope.

Monarch is one of the only support heroes in the game that sports a decent survivability despite being a ranged intelligence hero. With the use of Chrysalis, she can shield herself or allies from harm when approached in battle, making it a core spell to level if playing as a pure support. However, if you prefer a more offensive flair, Monarch can take strong lane presence and harass effectively by leveling Blinding Pollen and Noxious Cloud to max immediately. In either case, she benefits greatly from mana regen and items that give an aura such as Nome's Wisdom, Astrolabe, and its' components, along with standard support items such as striders and wards of sight!

The Cthulhuphant is a tanky strength beast that can charge into a battle almost fearlessly, wreaking havoc on nearby enemies with his crippling passive slow and large area effect damage. At early levels he's able to kill difficult neutral creep camps with use of "Hook 'em", and gain an early level advantage that he can gank frequently with, using "Trample" for the burst damage and stun. If playing him in the lane, he can charge into creep waves and send projectiles flying to stun enemy heroes from a far distance--giving allies an opportunity to follow up with additional disables and damage output.
Cthulhuphant's greatest weakness is keeping up with his foes and dealing lethal damage. After using Trample, he has no other disables aside from his passive aura and may find himself falling short of killing an enemy. However, even with no survivability items early on, he can withstand a great deal of damage. For this reason, ghost marchers are an important pickup to help boost his attack damage and allow him to keep up with his prey.

Being a ranged strength caster, Midas can fill a number of roles on a team. For a more semi-carry oriented build, getting some early mana regeneration items, followed by standard attack boosting items that give him survivability, such as frostwolf skull and geomancer's bane, will set him up to do significant damage with his normal attacks, and make full use of his disables. With enough survivability, he can fearlessly warp into groups of enemy heroes, stunning them and shutting them down with strong attack damage. Your early level skill build will depend on preference and playstyle. If you choose to max out salvo and lion's pride early on with a single point in warp for the emergency mobility, this will grant you maximum range harassment without committing to jumping too far into enemy territory in order to deal damage. This early skill build is also quite suitable for playing as a support, making full use of the heal from lion's pride, and the long range disables. For more offensive play, you can roam between the lanes, leveling warp to max for the landing burst damage, and potential large aoe stuns when used in combination with any of his other skills after level 6.

After months of waiting, the second community created hero, the Geomancer, is finally here! Designed by community members Phopis and Chibbi, the Geomancer is a mobile, subterranean hero with strong team-fighting and ganking abilities.
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Rhapsody excels at clustered team fights and both pushing and defense of team structures with her passive "spellvamp" aura and use of Disco Inferno. In order to take advantage of her early game strengths, it's advisable to max out her Staccato and Disco Inferno abilities to take advantage of the full stun duration and damage output. Rhapsody can be played effectively with little more than a blood chalice, but in order to maximize her mid- and late-game ultimate potential, it is advisable to get some survivability boosting items such as shrunken head or helm of the black legion. A Nome's wisdom is also a great pick up to further boost the effects of her passive aura.

Master of Arms excels with a variety of different skill and item builds. For early burst damage you can choose to either max your Q or W spells first depending on your preference, though you should always put at least one point into charged shot for the stun. If you prefer to play him more passively and farm up for the late game, you may max his weapon enhancement first, and use the damage bonuses on the electrical gun to last hit with ease. Which spell you choose to max first will provide you with different early game strengths. With maxed Q, you gain a longer disable for gank-oriented play, and With maxed W, you get early pushing power. Master of Arms can pack some serious late game damage with use of his mag gun and chance-on-hit bonus damage items such as savage mace, and charged hammer. As an agility hero, he still lacks survivability though, so it's important to also pick up health-boosting items such as shrunken head, and strength steamboots.

At early levels, your greatest challenge as the Drunken Master will be maintaining your mana pool. He has built-in HP regeneration with his "Drink" ability, so by getting a Blood Chalice, Bottle, and/or Power Supply, you'll be able to boost your Lunge and Stagger while keeping yourself regenerating at all times. As a strength hero that is quite dependent on mana in order to survive and deal damage, this is high-priority in the early levels. In terms of skill build, Lunge should almost always be your first pickup at level 1, unless you're in need of a short-range escape from an early gank. The disable and push in itself makes for effective early kills, and has its full crowd control potential with just one rank. Many players underestimate the strength of his "Drink" ability, and skip getting it altogether early on; this can be a huge mistake, as it forces the player to purchase health regeneration items immediately to compensate, reducing the amount of available mana he can use as a result. The combination of Drink and Stagger alone can grant him up to 80 bonus damage on his attacks, boosting the damage of Lunge simply by having more attack damage to scale the skill on. For this reason, the optimal skill combo for damage output and movement speed goes in this order: Drink - Stagger - Lunge. Effective core items on him include Helm of the Black Legion, Shaman's Headdress, Sol's Bulwark, and Shrunken Head. Luxury items include: Frostburn, Behemoth's Heart, and Daemonic Breastplate.

The Monkey King excels at close-range combat, "comboing" his abilities in quick succession to keep an opponent disoriented and disabled. In order to truly optimize his early/mid game damage output and mobility, he requires a sizeable mana pool to frequently use his abilities. Buying a Bottle or Blood Chalice will help to ensure he will always have mana for the early game. A Nullstone or Shrunken Head can help you survive against casters if you wish to play more defensively, while a Ghost Marchers and Frostburn combo can launch you past the 500 movement speed mark by the time you are level 16. In general, your luxury items should focus on both keeping you alive and maintaining good damage output. You will want to skill Heavenly Vault primary, as it will be the greatest source of damage output. As your secondary skill, you can either level Illusive Dash or Wan Jin Slam to max, depending on whether you want additional mobility or simply want reliable damage on your disable. Whichever route you go, you should always put at least one point in all three abilities for combo purposes, and pick up Flying Nimbus as soon as possible.

As an intelligence hero, Revenant benefits from any intelligence items that provide mana regen and stats such as Sheepstick, Hellflower, Tablet of Command, Codex (works well with his magic armor reduction), and steamboots for extra attack speed. Even with very few items, Revenant can make full use of the spell bonuses his ultimate provides, and can roam the game supporting his team with very few items.

The Emerald Warden has very high natural damage output thanks to his abilities but very low health, so items should be geared towards survival. Early on, a Ring of the Teacher can give you much-needed mana regeneration and armor. You can either choose Ghost Marchers to boost his sub-par (290) movement speed, or Steam Boots on strength to boost HP and attack speed. You'll also want to pick up a Blood Chalice or Bottle early on, as the Emerald Warden chews through mana quickly with his spells. Later on, Frostburn is always a safe pick, as the slowing attack synergizes naturally with your long-ranged, kiting playstyle to pick off enemies and keep yourself out of harm's reach. If you make it past Frostburn, Wingbow, Assassin's Shroud, or Savage Mace can make you nearly untouchable while putting out massive damage.

Parasite should begin with a single rank of infest, some mana potions, and the components for an early blood chalice in order to make his way through neutral camps efficiently. Always start by infesting the most powerful creep in a camp, since you'll also get the gold and experience for the unit you're inhabiting. Depending on your preference, you should either stick with a single rank of infest, and prioritize leveling Leech and Draining Venom, or maximize your damage and movespeed while inside creeps by training Leech and Infest to max at the start. Facehug should be trained whenever available, as it provides an extra spurt of mobility and burst damage. Keep in mind that items, while valuable on any hero, are not a prime necessity in order to perform well with parasite in the early-mid game phase. You should roam and gank with your allies whenever possible, and focus on gaining a level advantage. As an intelligence hero that gains bonus damage to all sources with his passive, Parasite can gain up to 24% bonus damage when using items such as codex--making it a viable pickup for boosting his damage output. Other great items on him include puzzlebox, stormspirit, hellflower, and, depending on your preference, either ghost marchers or steamboots.

Amun-Ra should start off with some health regeneration and an Iron Buckler to fend off early harassment. Because health increases his survivability, fuels his spells, and increases his damage, Helm of the Black Legion is a core pickup. Steam Boots set to strength is your best mobility option, as Path of Destruction's short cooldown will provide enough mobility to not warrant Ghost Marchers. Further damage mitigation and anti-magic protection in the form of a Shrunken Head or Shaman's Headdress may be desirable against caster-heavy lineups, but Amun-Ra can generally start dishing out damage with relative impunity as soon as he obtains his Helm of the Black Legion. Behemoth's Heart is the ultimate luxury item, greatly increasing his health and health regeneration and thus increasing his damage output in turn.
Prioritize leveling Ashes to Ashes as your primary skill, as it provides a great regeneration bonus and high AoE damage when the buff is sustained. Grab at least one level of Path of Destruction for the mobility early on, as it is your sole stun and escape. Whether you want to max out Path of Destruction or Ignite first is entirely up to your playstyle, though Path of Destruction tends to deal more damage at earlier levels. Obtain Pyroclasmic Rebirth as soon and often as possible, since it effectively provides you with a free extra life so as long as your opponents do not counter you with Puzzlebox or Nullfire Blade.